1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a collapsible stool of the type that would be used by a musical artist who plays a stringed instrument having a body and a neck portion, wherein the musician may carry the stool around in collapsed fashion in an easy manner and when the stool is erect, have a place not only to sit but also to place the instrument, such as a guitar, when the musician is no longer playing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art (General Background)
In the musical area, musicians must of course carry their musical instruments and many times the chair or stool upon which they will sit so they may be comfortable during their period of play. It is often very difficult to be able to have an easily asportable chair or stool which is easily collapsed and easily opened and one which may be sat upon and alternately act as a stand for the musical instrument when the musician is no longer playing the same.
It is important that the musician have the ability to easily carry a portable chair or stool and one that is of low cost and easy maintenance because of the abuse that the stool will encounter in the musician""s travels. It is also ideal if the same collapsible stool can act as an instrument holder during breaks or intermissions during the time that the musician is not playing the instrument.
While some of the prior art has suggested musicians"" portable seats, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,951,996, 4,359,243, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,673, while approaching a desiratum for musicians, has failed to provide for a specific, uniquely configured collapsible stool or chair that would be intended specifically for stringed instruments having a body and an extending neck such that the collapsible stool may be easily carried, easily opened to the sitting position and when not sat upon, provide a musical instrument stand.
Others have tried to overcome some of the difficulties in prior art as, for example, U.S. Design Pat. No. 355,773 but none as indicated herein before have been suitable for the intended purposes of the herein disclosed invention.
The FOLDABLE STOOL AND STRINGED INSTRUMENT STAND of the instant invention overcomes the short comings of the prior art and comprises a support means comprising a first and second pair of leg members for moving from a first closed parallel position to a second open position, with the first and second pair of leg members crossing to form an xe2x80x9cXxe2x80x9d configuration. A seat is attached to the support means and the seat has an indentation or curvilinear configuration at the front of the stool so it as to be able to receive the upper neck portion of a stringed instrument such as a guitar. Attachment means are positioned intermediate the leg members and the seat for allowing the leg members to swivel from the first parallel position to the second xe2x80x9cXxe2x80x9d configured open position. Towards the bottom of the elongate leg members there is at least one bracket being aligned with the indentation or curvilinear groove of the seat whereby the body of a stringed instrument such as a guitar is supported off the floor by the bracket member and the neck is allowed: to be received within the indentation of the seat when the stool is in the open position.
It is therefore the principal object of the invention to provide a practical stool or chair which is to be used by musicians playing stringed instruments and in particular, guitars.
It is another important object of the present invention to provide a collapsible stool that is of low maintenance, low cost of construction and which is easy to carry and which performs a variety of needs from forming a stool in the open position upon which a musician may sit and also providing a musical instrument holder when the musician is not playing the instrument.
It is still another important object of the invention to provide a collapsible, easily asportable stool that has relatively few mechanical parts, which is easy to operate and which is easily opened to an open position to allow sitting thereon, and which is easily collapsed for ease of transportation